Chapter 58

Chapter 57

Luka

"WHAT THE fuck is this?" I bark, eyes locked on the girl lying unconscious on the bed, barely covered by Dimitri's jacket. Her face is stained with blood, but something tells me it isn't her own.

Dimitri scowls, rubbing a bruise on his jaw. "This crazy bitch cut off two of Aleks's men's dicks. She came charging at me with the same knife when I tried to talk to her. So, I had to knock her out a bit." Dimitri speaks with guilt.

"You mean you punched her lights out." Erik laughs, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Well, at least you could have told her we're the ‘good guys,'" he adds.

Dimitri's face turns red, his anger rising. "You think this is funny? She's dangerous."

I raise an eyebrow, trying not to laugh. "She's a wild one." Has to be. She petrified Dimitri, for fuck's sake. "Must've scared the shit out of you," I taunt.

"Yeah, fucking hilarious," Dimitri snaps, but there's a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. "You try talking to a naked, blood-soaked woman wielding a knife."

"I'd rather not." I move closer, studying the girl's face, the determination in her features, even in unconsciousness. "Dangerous or not, she fought back. That's more than most would do."

No mistake, this is Wren – we'd run the details earlier. Sophia is damn clueless about her best friend. She described Wren as the sweetest, kindest girl she's ever known. "Sweet and kind" don't usually involve slicing off dicks and attacking Dimitri, of all people.

Erik grins, eyeing the girl. "I bet she's a wild one in bed, too."

Dimitri rolls his eyes at him. "That's not what this is about. We need to figure out what she knows."

She wakes up suddenly, clutching her jaw where Dimitri's punch must've landed. She jumps to her feet, rage all over her face.

The fact that she doesn't even bother to cover herself up tells me she's not like most girls.

"Fuck, that hurt," she snaps, her eyes fixed on Dimitri like she's ready to murder him with her stare alone. "What's the big idea, asshole? Didn't your mother teach you not to hit a lady?"

"Lady?" Dimitri snarls, clearly unimpressed. "You attacked me with a knife."

She rolls her eyes, still holding her jaw. "Oh, boo hoo. Big man's scared of a little knife."

"You're not exactly in a position to make fun of me," Dimitri growls, his face turning red with anger.

She smirks, her pain momentarily forgotten. "And yet, here I am."

I toss her a blanket, and she wraps it around herself, never taking her eyes off Dimitri. "Got a cigarette?" she asks, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I need something to take the edge off after being manhandled by Captain Caveman over there."

Erik chokes on a laugh, and even I can't help but smile at her audacity. Dimitri, however, looks like he's ready to punch something.

"You're not getting anything from us until you tell us what we want to know," he snaps, his voice dangerously low.

Raising an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed, she says, "That's not how this works, sweetheart. You want information, you treat me with a little respect."

"Respect?" Dimitri repeats, his voice dripping with disbelief. "We just saved your ass!"

She shrugs, her eyes filled with defiance. "Well, I didn't ask you to."

The room goes silent for a moment as we all take in her sheer gall. She's not scared, not even a little, and her courage is both infuriating and fascinating.

Finally, I nod at Erik, who tosses her a pack of cigarettes from a nearby drawer. She lights one, takes a deep drag, and then blows the smoke in Dimitri's direction.

"Thanks," she says, her voice heavy with fake sweetness.

She takes another drag of the cigarette as she looks around the room, taking in the cots and medical equipment. She's like a caged animal, her body tense, ready to strike.

I study her, intrigued by her courage, her fight. "So, what made you kill Aleks's men?"

"Apart from the obvious?" Her lips curl into a sneer. "It's none of your fucking business."

"Watch your mouth," Dimitri snaps, his patience wearing thin.

I chuckle, enjoying her fire. "Let her speak. I want to hear what she has to say."

The room goes quiet, all eyes on the girl.

"I was taken," she finally says, her voice low, filled with rage. "I killed those fuckers because they deserved to die. And I'll kill you too if I have to."

I lean in close, feeling her hot breath on my face. "You're not going to kill anyone here. We're not your enemies."

She looks me in the eye, searching for truth, for trust. "Who the fuck are you guys?"

Dimitri's face is set in a hard line, his patience clearly wearing thin. "We're the ones who are going to help you if you stop being a pain in the ass and cooperate."

A noise from the next room startles her, and I see recognition in her eyes. "Nilo?" she breathes, a note of desperation in her voice. Her entire demeanor changes, and suddenly, she's moving, lunging toward the door.

Erik reacts first, blocking her path. "Hold on, wildcat. We're not here to harm you or your friend."

"Let me out!" she snaps, aiming a swift kick at Erik's balls, but he just sidesteps and laughs.

"You lying pieces of shit!" She's screaming now.

Dimitri takes a step closer. I can tell he is furious by now. "We saved him. And you! He's safe, and he's calling out for someone. Is that you?"

She hesitates, a flicker of doubt crossing her face. "You're lying," she accuses.

"Why would we lie?" I ask, keeping my voice calm and even. "We're on the same side here."

"Same side?" she spits, her voice colored with disbelief. "What side is that?"

"The side that doesn't want to see you or your friend hurt," I reply, hoping my sincerity comes through.

She doesn't respond, just stands there, her body wound tight, and her eyes narrowed. After a moment, she takes a harsh drag of the cigarette, puffing it out in a cloud of disdain. Then, with a nasty flick of her wrist, she throws the cigarette onto the floor as if it's an annoyance. Her decision is made.

"Alright," she says, her voice steady. "If you're telling the truth, you'll let me see Nilo."

I glance at Dimitri, who gives a reluctant nod. "Fine. But no funny business. One wrong move, and we'll take you down."

Her eyes flash, but she doesn't argue. "Deal."

We lead her to the next room, where Nilo is lying on a bed, his eyes wide with shock and relief when he sees her. They embrace, and the tension in the room finally seems to ease.

"Nilo! Are you okay?" Wren's voice trembles slightly as she examines him, her eyes wide and filled with concern. Her fingers hover over his face, tracing unseen wounds.

"Where are we?" Nilo asks, his voice weak, his eyes darting around the unfamiliar room, clearly disoriented.

"Yeah, where are we?" Wren echoes, her brows furrowing, eyes locking onto mine, demanding an explanation.

"You're in the Ivankov's safehouse," I reply, attempting to sound reassuring. "We've rescued you from Aleks." I pause, watching her reaction closely.

"Ivankov…" she mutters, her eyes widening for just a fraction of a second before she quickly hides her reaction. But it's too late. I've seen it, and I know there's something more.

"You know something, don't you?" I press, leaning in closer, my voice a mix of curiosity and challenge.

"Why should I tell you?" she shoots back, her voice defiant, her body tensing, fists clenched.

I lean back, my eyes narrowing as I study her for a moment. She's not going to make this easy. The mistrust in her eyes is evident. The next words need to be chosen carefully.

"Because," I say slowly, "we're not your enemies. I told you we're on the same side." I pause for emphasis, letting the words sink in. "And…we…need your help."

"You…need my help?" She frowns and looks at me suspiciously. Searching for something. Truth, perhaps. Trust, most definitely. Then her gaze shifts to Nilo, and I can see her weighing the risks, the doubts clearly playing across her face.

"Why should I believe you?" she finally asks, her voice softer now but still filled with suspicion.

"Because," I begin, leaning forward, my voice filled with sincerity, "like I say, we're on the same side."

"And which fucking side is that?" she spits, her eyes ablaze with defiance.

I hold her stare, letting the silence stretch tautly before I answer, "Sophia's side."